Kirsten Gillibrand

Driving the news: Thursday's 3-hour Democratic debate marked the first time the top contenders all squared off on 1 stage, resulting in the 2020 cycle's most comprehensive discussion yet among the candidates most likely to face Donald Trump as the party's nominee.

Personal financial disclosures have become a litmus test for Democratic 2020 hopefuls, as candidates link their tax disclosures with the long-standing fight to obtain President Trump’s tax returns.

Our thought bubble, per Axios' Alexi McCammond: It will likely be politically toxic for any 2020 Democrat not to release their tax returns, since this is an example of how anything they demand of Trump they must do themselves. This is Democrats’ way of separating themselves from Trump, trying to get back to norms and pushing for transparency.